As we approached the stream, we saw all the guests sitting on the white chairs in front of the gazebo where the registrar and Drew stood waiting. Rory was, of course, by his brother’s side, both in sharp grey suits. Yellow, white and dark red flowers were draped everywhere, and the archway where they would stand to say their vows was covered in flowers, the scent and sight of which were breath-taking. The choir were lined up to one side, the stream behind them glistening in the sunshine, singing as we reached the makeshift aisle. My eyes found Greg first, sitting near the front, twisting around to look at us, and then I saw Brodie right at the front ready for his blessing, smiling happily, and my heart started to speed up.
The choir began to hum the ‘Wedding March’ as Beth reached the aisle. We followed slowly, the guests beaming at our party. I looked up then and saw Drew’s face as he saw Beth for the first time. Happiness spread across it, and I felt another lump rise up in my throat. They were such special people, it was wonderful to see them look so happy. I couldn’t help but hope that one day, I would get my own happy ending as well. I just had to decide what I wanted it to look like.
Beth stepped up onto the gazebo and Drew took both of her hands in his. ‘I love you,’ I saw him mouth to her.
‘Forever,’ Beth mouthed back.
We sat down in the front row and the registrar stepped forward to welcome us to the ceremony. Beth and Drew said their vows, both unable to take their eyes off one another and the choir sang again as they stepped to the side to sign the marriage certificate. I glanced back then at Greg who gave me a little wave. When I turned back, I met Brodie’s gaze. He quickly looked away.
Once Beth and Drew were officially married, they returned to the gazebo where Brodie gave them his blessing.
‘Marriage is something that takes hard work. You are starting off on a long journey together today, one that will be filled with joy and laughter but one that will likely be tested a lot as well. Your commitment today is that you will make it through those tests together, side-by-side, partners through the good and the bad, looking after one another, and always remembering the vows you made today. Love is special, and you should both cherish that love. Not everyone finds such a love in their lives so I hope you both appreciate the blessing that your love is, for the rest of your lives,’ Brodie said. ‘And now we pray…’
I bowed my head as he prayed for Beth and Drew, his words echoing in my mind. Love was special and it was a gift when you found it but how many tests were too many to come back from? Love was worth fighting for, I believed that, but it also shouldn’t only be about fighting either. How did you know when you had found the love that you would never give up on? Perhaps if you even had to ask the question then you hadn’t found it after all?
Beth and Drew kissed then to an enthusiastic round of applause from everyone. We all stood as they walked hand-in-hand down the aisle as a married couple. I glanced at Brodie who watched them with an almost wistful look on his face. I turned back to Greg who was looking out to the stream, not paying them any attention.
The rest of us filed out of our seats to make the short walk to the marquee for the reception. Greg waited for me and took my hand as we followed the guests across the lawn. ‘I saw you dabbing your eyes,’ he teased me.
‘I couldn’t help it, I’m really happy for them.’
He leaned in closer. ‘Maybe that will be us one day.’
I was so stunned, I couldn’t form a response. Thankfully, Izzy bounced over to lead us to the top table inside the marquee, and I didn’t have to.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The wedding marquee was full of life.
Everyone was talking while a pianist on the small stage played background music, and servers dished out the wedding meal of bruschetta, followed by salmon and new potatoes and chocolate brownie and ice cream for dessert. I kept looking at the wedding cake on the table close to where we sat, proud of what I had created. Beth and Drew had already told me how much they loved it, and it fitted in with the lemon and maroon theme in the tent perfectly. More flowers were inside, lending their lovely colour and scent to the proceedings and fairy lights were draped all across the ceiling ready for sunset. I watched Greg closely, relieved to see that he was sticking as promised to soft drinks like I was.
And then it was time for the speeches. A waiter brought round glasses of champagne ready for toasting, and I failed to prevent him from putting a glass in front of both of us.
‘Greg…’
‘Relax. We have to take a sip for the toast,’ he said, squeezing my thigh. ‘I’m doing okay, I promise.’
I couldn’t say anything else because Rory had stood up and was clinking his glass for silence. I was unconvinced that Greg would be able to handle it but I didn’t want to cause a scene, which me taking the glass from him would inevitably create.
‘I wish I could stand up here and regale you with hilarious stories of my brother’s exploits but annoyingly, he has always been too sensible for that. Unless you count the time that he came home to the farm drunk when he was a teenager and managed to open the gate where the pigs were. We woke up to pigs in the kitchen eating all our food. And Drew tried to convince me they must have managed to open the pen themselves!’
We all laughed as Drew shook his head. ‘But, seriously,’ Rory continued. ‘My brother has always been hard-working, kind, and fiercely loyal. I missed him a lot when he was in America studying to become a doctor so having him back in Scotland has been great. And that’s all thanks to Beth and Izzy. I don’t think many people end up marrying someone they have loved since they were teenagers but Beth and Drew both like to do everything differently to the rest of us. And that’s why they are perfect for one another! Raise those glasses then to my kid brother who has gone and married the love of his life, and I couldn’t be happier for them both. To Drew and Beth!’
We all stood and echoed the toast. I took a sip of my champagne and out of the side of my eye, saw Greg throw his back and drain it in one go. My heart dropped down to my stomach.
Drew stood up then, grinning at his brother. ‘I think I got away remarkably unscathed by that speech, I think Heather must have edited it!’ We laughed but Heather nodded so I thought he wasn’t far off the truth. Drew went on to thank everyone involved in the wedding including me, and then turned to his bride and daughter sat next to him. ‘I can’t believe that just a couple of years ago I had no idea that I had a daughter. Everyone knows that Beth and I were apart for a long time but I don’t think that either of us ever stopped loving the other one. To finally be a family with Beth and Izzy is a dream come true. I love these two with all of my heart and I want to be the best father and husband that I can for them.’
I watched as Beth dabbed at her eyes, pulling Izzy close to her.
‘We have made mistakes in the past but the love we have for each other has got us through all of them and I know that will always be the case whatever happens in the future. So, please raise your glasses again to true love!’ Drew leaned in to give Beth a long kiss and then he hugged their daughter tightly, and I had to wipe away another tear. This wedding was one of the most emotional I had ever been to. Beth’s father and mother then both gave speeches of their own, talking about Beth growing up and how proud of her they were now. I knew that the family had had their troubles but it was lovely to see that they were all close now. That the past could be forgiven.
Greg signalled the waiter, who refilled his champagne glass as Beth stood for the final speech. I moved my leg so that Greg’s hand fell off it as I kept my gaze fixed on her.
‘Don’t worry, this will be short and sweet so we can get the party started,’ Beth said, smiling at the room. ‘I just wanted to say thank you to you all for coming today to celebrate with us. Glendale has welcomed me back with open arms. I still can’t believe that I spent ten years away from this place. I did a lot of things that I wish I could change in the past but I also feel like if I could, I wouldn’t change any of it because everything t
hat happened brought me here today. And today has been perfect.’ She smiled at Drew and Izzy. ‘There is one person missing today and she is the reason that all of this was possible. So, please raise your glasses for the final toast.’ She turned back to the room and raised her glass. ‘To my grandmother Margaret Williams, who believed in forgiveness and family, two things that I plan to carry with me always.’
‘Forgiveness and family!’ we all echoed, raising our glasses. I took another sip of mine as Greg knocked back his second glass.
I turned to say something to him but then Beth came over and touched my arm. ‘We’re going to cut the cake, please come with us,’ she said, holding out my hand. I followed her, glancing back to see Greg sitting down and grabbing hold of my glass to finish it. Dread settled in me. I perhaps hadn’t fully believed he had a real problem but now I could see it with my own eyes.
‘This cake was designed by my friend Emily,’ Beth said as everyone gathered around. Greg remained at our table. I looked up to see Brodie smiling at me and I smiled back, remembering his help with it all. ‘It looks so good,’ she said, squeezing my hand. ‘Oh my God, cows!’ she added when she realised what were sat on top of the cake. ‘You remember?’ she asked Drew.
‘I’m still scared of them,’ he replied, with a shudder. I smiled, pleased they had got my joke. She and Drew wrapped their hands around the knife, everyone taking photos as they cut into the cake. We all clapped and they pulled out a slice and both took a bite, laughing as the buttercream oozed out. ‘Oh my God, it’s so good!’ Beth declared. Drew kissed her and everyone cheered.
‘Now I can add wedding cake baking to my CV, right?’ Brodie said, coming over to me.
‘You’ll be watching Bake Off next,’ I replied with a laugh. ‘I’m glad they liked it.’
‘Are you kidding? It’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to taste it,’ he said, watching as a server started to carve it up for the guests. The band began playing then, and Drew led Beth onto the dance floor. I smiled as I realised that they were going to dance to ‘Isabelle’ – the song that Beth named their daughter after. The song they listened to when they fell in love as teenagers. Drew spun Beth around and then pulled her close, moving in a well-practised dance that had begun when they were so young. They had been through a lot, of course, but it had all worked out somehow. I thought Brodie was right – love was a gift to cherish, and Beth and Drew were doing just that.
‘Are you okay?’ Brodie asked me. My eyes had filled with tears.
‘Weddings, you know,’ I said with a laugh, trying to brush away my tears. I glanced back at Greg who now had a beer in front of him as he leaned back in his chair.
We watched as John led Caroline onto the dance floor followed by Rory and Heather, other guests joining them. I looked over at Greg again, he was talking animatedly to David about something. ‘Want to dance?’ I asked Brodie, as casually as I could. My heart began to beat hard inside my chest.
‘Are you sure?’ he asked, one eyebrow raised.
‘Please?’ I held out my hand and Brodie took it without saying anything else.
We walked onto the dance floor as the band shifted into another slow song. Brodie’s arm wrapped around my waist and I lifted my arms onto his shoulders. I looked at him and he met my gaze steadily. We spun slowly around in silence, and everyone around me seemed to fade into the background. All I could really hear was my heartbeat. All I could see were Brodie’s eyes looking at me.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, finally.
‘For what?’ he asked softly.
I took a moment to answer, to think of the words that would explain how complicated everything felt. I knew I had to, though. It might be my last chance. I would be back in London soon, far away from him. And that thought hurt me more than I cared to admit, even to myself. ‘For not being free,’ I replied, finally, opening up my heart to him for the first time.
Brodie exhaled. He looked away for a moment. We slowed then, barely moving to the music. Finally, he looked back into my eyes. ‘I’m sorry for that too.’
Chapter Thirty
‘Mind if I cut in, minister?’
Brodie and I stopped moving immediately, dropping our arms from one another as if we had been burned. Greg stood by us, his face stony, almost spitting out his words. Without waiting for a response, he took my waist and pulled me into his arms, spinning us away from Brodie. Over Greg’s shoulder, I watched as Brodie turned and walked off the dance floor, and felt as if something had been taken away from me.
‘What the hell, Em?’ Greg hissed then, pulling me closer. ‘I look over and see you all draped over another man!’
‘I’m surprised you even noticed,’ I said, coldly. ‘I thought you were more interested in the drink in front of you.’ I dropped my arms and stepped back out of his embrace. I hated it when couples argued in front of people but I couldn’t hold my anger in check. After all his promises to get help, to change, he hadn’t even been able to last two days.
‘I’m fine,’ he insisted. ‘I’ve only had a couple… I can stop at that.’
I shook my head. ‘You told me you have a drink problem. That means you won’t – you can’t – stop at two drinks.’
‘You have no faith in me,’ he complained, turning away and storming off. I watched him walk straight over to the bar.
Standing by myself on the dance floor, I felt eyes on me. Embarrassment and anger and sadness welled up inside me. I rushed off, needing to get away desperately. Outside the marquee, I gulped in fresh air. The sun was only just starting to slip lower in the sky.
‘Emily, are you okay?’
I turned around to see Heather ducking out of the marquee after me. With everything that had been happening since I came up to Scotland, I hadn’t gotten to know Heather as much as I wanted to, so I appreciated the look of concern on her face as she came to stand beside me. ‘I just needed some air.’
‘I couldn’t help but see…’
‘It’s okay,’ I reassured her as she trailed off, embarrassed. ‘Things aren’t going great with Greg. It makes it so much harder when I think of this one,’ I admitted, touching my stomach.
She nodded. ‘When I got pregnant with Harry, I had only just started seeing Rory. Obviously, I’d known him for a long time but still, we were only just starting out as a couple. I thought he’d run for the hills, actually, but he was even happier about it than I was. What I’m saying is, I’m sure Greg will step up to the mark. I mean, he has to, right?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I also don’t know how long I can wait around for him to do that, do you know what I mean? Can I ask you a really personal question?’ I said then, turning to her.
‘Uh-oh.’ She smiled, though. ‘Fire away.’
‘Why haven’t you and Rory got married? If that’s too personal though, just tell me to shut the hell up.’
Heather laughed. ‘I mean, you’re not the first person to ask me that! Everyone assumes that Rory hasn’t asked, that he’s scared of the commitment but actually…’ She kicked at the grass with her feet. ‘It’s me who keeps saying I’m not ready.’
I was surprised. I supposed it was usually the man who backed away from commitment. Like Greg. ‘Why aren’t you ready? Are you worried he’s not The One?’
She shook her head vehemently. ‘Definitely not. Rory and I are for keeps but I always pictured myself getting married at the local church with my family there. And my mother… she died a few years ago, and I just can’t face the day knowing she won’t be there. Rory understands but I know it upsets him too. He wants a day like this for us.’
‘That must be really hard. But if it’s what you want… she would want you to be happy, wouldn’t she? Why don’t you do it differently? Maybe don’t have the massive wedding. Then maybe it won’t feel like such a black hole without her.’
Heather nodded. ‘Beth suggested the same thing. I’m warming to the idea. But I think I’ll get this wedding out of the way first. Why the marriage question? Has Gr
eg proposed?’
‘No. I always wanted him to. But he said he didn’t believe in marriage and I kind of went along with it but since I found out I was pregnant, I thought maybe he would change his mind. I wanted him to change his mind. But he’s been lying to me. And now I’m not sure what I want,’ I told her, honestly. ‘I need to do the right thing for our baby. I just wish I knew what that was.’
‘You will,’ Heather promised. ‘Give yourself time. It’s such an adjustment when you find out you’re having a baby. Everything will change. You just need to ride it out. Don’t force yourself into making all the decisions now.’
‘That’s good advice.’ I turned around to see Brodie step outside behind us.
‘I’d better check on my boys,’ Heather said, seeing him. She touched my arm quickly. ‘I’ll be inside if you need me.’
‘Thanks, Heather.’ I walked over to sit on one of the benches as she disappeared and Brodie stepped over to me. He stood in front of me, hands in his pockets. ‘Where’s Greg?’ I asked, fearfully.
‘At the bar. Drinking.’
‘He needs help,’ I said with a sigh. ‘He needs my help, Brodie. Whatever else, he’s the father of this baby.’
‘I understand. You know that.’ He sat down next to me. We both looked out onto the garden. We were silent for a couple of minutes before Brodie spoke again. ‘You’re going back to London.’
‘I am.’
‘I want you to know… I’m here for you, Emily. As I friend, I mean.’
He really was a good man. I smiled. ‘Thank you. We’ll see each other again. This isn’t goodbye.’
‘Isn’t it?’ He stood up. ‘Take care of yourself, Emily. And that little one too.’
New Beginnings At Glendale Hall Page 15
